OPEN
The stairs: The former home of Zeke’s Coffee in Pigtown is now once again a destination for neighbors looking to satisfy their caffeine needs. The Stoop opened earlier this month at 784 Washington Blvd., serving coffee, tea, and local pastries from Bluebird Bakery. Owner Paige Stamerro is a neighborhood resident and named the shop after a classic Baltimore pastime: hanging out on the front steps.
“Part of the charm of Charm City is that you can walk through a handful of neighborhoods any night of the week and find people walking their dogs or sitting with their kids,” she says. “Stoop life is absolutely the inspiration for what we do here.”
Conveniently, the menu features Zeke’s coffee blends and many of the same drinks, but with small changes, including different syrups and creamier milks. Guests can also look forward to a selection of lattes like matcha, chai and cereal milk. Stamerro says Italian sodas will soon be on the menu after the team “perfectly executes” the coffee and tea program.
She’s partnering with Bluebird — which also supplies the baked goods for Zeke’s in Lauraville — to offer savory and sweet pastries that pair well with the drinks. “I call him a punk rock baker because he doesn’t take a challenge,” she says, laughing. “We really work as partners, more as supplier-customer.”
Stamerro adds that Zeke’s owner, Thomas Rhodes, was a huge help in getting The Stoop started, and she’s proud that the store is “driven by Zeke.” Earlier this year, Pigtown Main Street cited “reorganization and staff reductions” as the reason for Zeke’s closure.
“Zeke’s didn’t move because this neighborhood can’t handle a coffee shop,” says Stamerro. “I can tell you that this neighborhood has been hungry for coffee and pastries for the last two weeks.”
The official opening of the Stoop will take place on September 21st.
COMING SOON
Ema’s Corner: After sitting vacant for the past eight months, the North Avenue building that previously housed Joe Squared will soon have a new tenant. Baltimore Business Journal Reports that Ema’s Corner will take over the space of Station North in the coming weeks, serving pizza, salads and eventually pasta. Joe Squared was a neighborhood anchor for two decades before closing in late 2023. The popular pub was best known for its signature square pizza, risottos, rum drinks and live music program in its Downsquares event space. So will concerts be revived at Ema’s Corner? Owner Mehmet Guclu tells the BBJ he “is open to hearing what the community wants.”
Kitschenette from Kitsch Cafe: Kitsch Cafe is on a roll. After opening its second location in R. House earlier this summer, the small but mighty sandwich shop announced it will open a scaled-down version of its shop, called Kitschenette, in Gilman Hall on Johns Hopkins University’s Charles Village campus. The 200-square-foot “micro booth” will offer a “super simple sandwich menu with our full beverage program,” Kitsch shared on social media. Fortunately, the cafe is no stranger to small spaces. Its original location in Tuscany-Canterbury measures less than 400 square feet. “Don’t let our size fool you,” the shop shared on Instagram. “What we lack in space, we make up for in service and smiles.”
Pono Taco: Belvedere Square will soon officially welcome this stand for tacos, nachos, open-faced quesadillas and more Mexican fusion dishes. Co-owner Scott Donnelly and his team have been hard at work transforming the former Ejji Ramen stand into the new concept, featuring a reclaimed wood bar top, colorful light fixtures and fresh coats of paint on the walls. An unofficial opening is planned for this month.
NEWS
Community gathers behind Claddagh Pub after owner’s death: The Canton neighborhood is mourning the loss of Michael Clarke, owner of the Claddagh Pub on O’Donnell Square, who died of a heart attack on July 28. A funeral mass was held at Our Lady of Pompei Catholic Church on August 3. Clarke’s sister, Lori Pirisino, recently told The Baltimore Banner, “We’re just trying to put the pieces back together. We’ll keep this going for him.”
The Tilted Row announces new chef: Before announcing improvements and a new menu next month (the restaurant will remain closed during the changes), this popular Bolton Hill restaurant has brought new blood to its kitchen team. Chef Jacques Van Staden has named Derrick Reed the restaurant’s new executive chef. The Baltimore native and graduate of Stratford University for the Culinary Arts recently returned home after spending several years working in kitchens on the West Coast. He’s excited to hone the new Southern-inspired dishes and get the kitchen ready for the grand reopening. “We’re thrilled to have Chef Reed on board and can’t wait for everyone to experience a whole new Tilted Row,” co-owner Ziad Maalouf said in a press release.
EPICUREAN EVENTS
24.8.: Ekiben Night Market
Today may be your last chance, Tickets for Ekiben’s epic food festival. For the first time, the Asian fusion restaurant is bringing together an incredible array of local restaurants for one evening, including participants like Blacksauce Kitchen, Nana, The Local Fry, Cafe Dear Leon, Pho Bac, Miss Carters Kitchen, Chef Rey Eugenio and more. The event will take place in the parking lot across the street from Ekiben’s Hampden location. VIP tickets are sold out and general admission tickets (which include a free drink) are running low. Already planning to attend? Parking is limited, so Ekiben is asking event-goers to bike, walk or use rideshare services.
22.-25.8., 29.8.-2.9., 5.9.-8.9.: Maryland State Fair
Delicious food awaits at the Maryland State Fair, which opens today at 5 p.m. for its first weekend. Each year, the Timonium Fairgrounds is transformed into the state’s annual country fair, with rides, live animals and (of course) fairground food. Expect traditional favorites like funnel cakes, candied apples and cotton candy, as well as new food vendors like Althea’s Almost Famous and the Get BAKED food truck. The fair’s food contest, The Mallet, will be held August 25 and will honor vendors’ dishes with titles of “Best Sweet Dish,” “Best Savory Dish” and “Most Creative Dish.”
